Local Goa News

Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Govt, banks gear up to make Goa go cashless

Three pronged strategy worked out; info kiosks will instruct people on cashless transactions

PANJIM: “The State of Goa has been chosen to be developed as a model State for evolving into a cashless economy by December 31, 2016,” Chief Secretary R K Srivastava, said on Wednesday, addressing heads of various government departments, corporations, autonomous bodies, government secretaries and bank officials.
He said, “The number of bank accounts in Goa is far more than that of the population in the State, so Goa can become a model State for others in this regard.”
Ameya Abhyankar, who was present at the briefing said, “There are three tracks on which the Government of Goa in association with banks will be going forward with. These are: vendors carrying out financial transactions to be brought under the e-payment mode, consumer education and bringing govt departments, which are in receipt of revenue or disbursing sums to stakeholders or beneficiaries, under the e-platform.”
Abhyankar further said, “For that, government departments will have to map these sets of transactions that are carried out in their departments and will have to ensure that they are carried out as per the e-payment mode.”
For the purpose, he said, each department will have to frame an action plan where they will have to carry departmental surveys and map transactions. To create awareness, training workshops will also be held.
Abhyankar spoke of how surveys of vendors in markets in Goa were being conducted. “Information kiosks will also be put up at these places where the public can be made aware of how to enter into a cashless transaction when making purchases.”